/****************************************************************************
 * Copyright 2009 Huascar A. Sanchez                                        *
 *                                                                          *
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");          *
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.         *
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at                                  *
 *                                                                          *
 *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0                           *
 *                                                                          *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software      *
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,        *
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. *
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and      *
 * limitations under the License.                                           *
 ****************************************************************************/
package com.gotobject.filter.ordering;

/**
 * @author huascar.sanchez@gmail.com (Huascar A. Sanchez)
 */
public interface Ordering<T> {
    /**
     * mix two ordering commands via the {@code thenBy} operator.
     * @param operator
     *    second {@code sorting} command to be mixed.
     * @return
     *    composed sorting command made of two sorting commands, connected
     *    via the {@code thenBy} operator.
     */
    Ordering <T> thenBy(Ordering<? super T> operator);

    /**
     * sorting of a {@link Iterable source} and return
     * a sorted {@link Iterable output}
     * @param source
     *     {@code iterable object} to be sorted.
     * @return
     *      sorted {@code iterable} object.
     */
    Iterable<T> of(Iterable<? super T> source);
}
